1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for dispensing adhesive backed articles from a roll of paperbacked adhesive articles. More particularly, the invention concerns a stamp dispenser for dispensing individual stamps from an elongated roll of adhesive-coated, paperbacked stamps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years, the United States Postal Service has sold rolls of stamps which are made up of a number of stamps each of which required wetting before it could be permanently affixed to an object such as an envelope. Recently the United States Postal Service has offered stamps in roll form, with each stamp in the roll having an adhesive coating that requires no wetting before use.
The new rolls or coils of stamps include a continuous paperbacking so that, at time of use, each stamp must be peeled from the paperbacking. Although these new coil stamps are superior to the previous coil stamps in that they do not require wetting, the inclusion of the paperbacking makes them difficult to handle. For instance, as stamps are peeled from the coil for use, the continuous paperbacking tends to wrap itself back around the coil making it difficult to access and peel the next stamp. In addition, the adhesive backed stamps tend to stick to one's fingers when peeling them from the paperbacking coil. Accordingly, those concerned with these problems recognize the need for a device to easily dispense adhesive backed stamps from the coil of paperbacking.
In an application which was earlier filed by the present inventor, a stamp dispenser was described which included a clutch mechanism and a spring-biased trigger mechanism which, when depressed, will cause simultaneous advancement of the individual stamps through a dispensing opening provided in the housing and advancement of the paperbacking toward the lower chamber of the housing. The present invention comprises an improvement of the device disclosed in the earlier filed application.